Relaxation response may reduce blood pressure by altering expression of a set of genes

Authors
Towia Liebermann, Manoj Bhasin, Herbert Benson
Publication
AAAS Eureka Alert
Abstract

Researchers identified genes and biological pathways linked to immune regulation, metabolism, and circadian rhythm in people who reduced their hypertension after eight-week relaxation response training

Related Listings
Meditation experience is associated with increa...
Authors
Sara W. Lazar, Catherine E. Kerr, Rachel H. Wasserman, Jeremy R. Gray, Douglas N. Greve, Michael Treadway, Metta McGarvey, Brian T. Quinn, Jeffery A. Dusek, Herbert Benson, Scott L. Rauch, Christopher I. Moore, Bruce Fischl
Journal
NeuroReport
·
Previous research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity. We hypothesized that meditation practice might also be associated with changes in the brain's physical structure. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cortical thickness in 20 participants with extensive Insight meditation experience, which involves focused attention to internal experiences. Brai […]
The use of meditation--relaxation techniques fo...
Authors
P Carrington, G H Collings, Jr, H Benson, H Robinson, L W Wood, P M Lehrer, R L Woolfolk, J W Cole
Journal
J Occup Med
·
The efficacy of meditation-relaxation techniques has been widely researched in the laboratory, but their effectiveness for management of stress in organizational settings is still relatively unexplored. The present study compared relaxation and control conditions as part of a program of stress-reduction in industry. A total of 154 New York Telephone employees self-selected for stress learned one of three techniques--clinically standardized meditation (CSM), respiratory one method medi […]
Topographic EEG mapping of the relaxation response
Authors
Gregg D. Jacobs, Herbert Benson, Richard Friedman
Journal
Biofeedback and Self-regulation
The purpose of this study was to assess the central nervous system effects of the relaxation response (RR) in novice subjects using a controlled, within- subjects design and topographic EEG mapping as the dependent measure. Twenty subjects listened to a RR and control audiotape presented in a counterbalanced order while EEG was recorded from 14 scalp locations. The RR condition produced greater (p < .0164) reductions in frontal EEG beta activity relative to the control condition. N […]